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Apparently, at this early stage nobody knows what the fees will be! At some point later on the details will, apparently be posted. As I recall, that happens about the time people have given up and made other plans.

I think, from Jack's note, people can get an idea what EAS is about, but I know many are not really sure what the "short course" and "conference"s all about, since the organisation is so different from other meetings. I know I attended the Maine EAS, and I am still not clear on how all that works.

EAS people are so familiar with the format that it seems they cannot appreciate how strange it appears to those who have never been.

Of course, for those who are not concerned about budget, the answer is to just dive in, but for those looking at doing the meeting on a shoestring, knowing what to plan is much more difficult.

Just in case anyone gets the wrong idea, I am not knocking EAS. I am confused, though by the format, and lack of clear info for newbees.

I know the "Short Course" terminology, the two levels and a seemingly separate conference will throw many, but just think of it as being several days with seminars that you can mix and match -- or skip -- and more meetings and speakers at the end of the week. Sorta a supe convention with bee yards nearby.

At EAS, there is a large concentration of beekeepers of every level and you'll never run out of things to do, day or night.

Unfortunatly,past programs have been wiped from the EAS website.The 2009 program and costs will be available there this spring.

The week is divided into the short course (Mon Tue Wed am) and the conference(Wed pm Thur Fri) Some people attend just the short course,some just the conference and some stay the week.

the short course is basicaly bee school in a classroom with beginner(biology,diseases,pests,seasonal management etc) and advanced(IPM stratagies,queen rearing,pollination etc) with sessions in the bee yard for both groups.

The conference is generally in an auditorium with presentations on completed research or overviews of ongoing studies or sometimes topics of general interest to beekeepers.The workshops on Thur and Fri offer 4-5 choices of specific subjects for each time period with some offered more than once.Mead making,candle making,apitherapy,cooking with honey,microscope lab etc or in the apiary;hive beetle traps,making splits and nucs etc.The workshops are fewer people ,led by an expert but with audience participation encouraged.Two of the workshops I attended last year were microscope labs;dissection for Tracheal mites with Ed Holcomb and Nosema sampling with Tom Webster.Microscope labs are usually only given when the conference is at a university.

Unfortunatly,all I can remember of Me in 2003 were 5 days of rain,that claustrophobic underground auditorium,encaustic painting with Michael Young,and the wonderful lobster and seafood meal where Aaron smuggeled some bluberry mead onto the dry campus.

It's been said the 5 days are worth 5 years experience although I'm sure that's a biased opinion.

Jim Fisher once compared an EAS conference to a Grateful Dead concert;you never know what you will see or hear.I believe,Allen,it was on Bee-L, the last time you asked questions about EAS.

Just in case anyone takes a glance and assumes the data I posted two messages ago is the current year, I should pointg out it is last year's price data and this year's has not yet been decided or posted on the site, but I would assume it should not be very different.

I heard that Mike Palmer of VT was also invited again.
That would be good.

Actually, I was invited, and then cancelled. Kim wrote that the treasurer was afraid of the recession, and they needed to tighten the budget. I was emailed by JF, that EAS lost lots of $$ at KY. So, they are trying to protect what $$ they have left. I can understand that, and have no problem with it.

I was asked this past weekend why I was boycotting EAS. Hey! I'm not! If I had something to do there...to help in some way...you could count me in. I sing for my supper. d:-) EAS is one of my favorite summer things to do. I can remember years when Drutchas and I would ride in on our motorcycles, and tent out on campus. Ahh the good old days. I'm now remembering Lancaster, PA. Years ago. Us tenting in Intercourse in a campsite. Amish farm next door in beautiful condition. Amish boy in typical clothes comes out to fix the one board on a never ending fence, that's broken. Sees us...sees our motorcycles...comes over for a closer look, all wide eyed and bushy tailed. His only words..."Wow, are you guys out for the whole summer??" I think they've lost him already.

As far as a vacation goes...I just can't. I'll be at the end of my annual queen rearing. Queens to catch and ship out to beekeepers, last rounds of cells to install. Still a week of nucs to make for wintering. Right in the middle of harvest. Can't be everyewhere at once.

We're looking to get EAS back to Vermont in 2012 or 2013. It's been since 1980, when we had some 750 attending. One of the best turnouts ever. Made many life long friends at that meeting

Well Dean,Why don't you and Ramona attend this year and meet some of the people.

it was our plan to attend...in fact, our treatment free conference was originally scheduled in order that we (and some of the speakers) would get to eas on sunday, and be there for the entire week (not to miss a single day).

things, however, changed, and we now have other plans for that week. we will likely attend the next time it is within driving distance (vermont would be great).